Concrete form and holder



April 18, 1944. J RQHRER 2,347,126

- CONCRETE FORM AND HOLDER .Fiied July 25, 1942 INVENTOR far/Z 1Rob/Zr,- BY 0 TTORbiEY Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CONCRETE FORM AND HOLDER.

Emil J. Rohrer, Kansas City, Mo.

Application July 23, 1942, Serial No. 451L991 Claims.

This invention relates to forms and supports therefor and moreparticularly to an adjustable holder or support for form bars forconcrete slab work or the like, the principal object of the inventionbeing to provide a form bar and support which may be adjusted toselected grades.

In constructing concrete floors or the like it has been the generalpractice to make a rough grade by a steam shovel or the like and then tolocate boards and stakes to determine the thickness, grade, slope and/orthe level of the slab concrete to be placed thereon, and additional dirtis removed or leveled by hand to obtain a finished grade. In the use ofboards and stakes, however, it is necessary to remove the boards afterthe finished grade has been determined and made in order to place thewire mesh usually required in such structures. Then it is necessary toreplace the boards, nailing them on the stake in order to have a gaugefor the surface of the concrete and, of course, in the replacing of theboards, it is necessary to duplicate the work required in determiningthe grade.

Other objects of the invention are therefore to provide a form holderfrom which the bars can be easily removed for application thereto ofwire reinforcing mesh; to provide a support capable of carrying theweight of a concrete screeding machine; to providean adjustable supportfor bars; to provide for the use of permanent bars and holders whichwill not be damaged in use; to provide bars which may be easily andquickly placed in position and removed for reuse after the pouring andplacing of concrete; to provide a bar supporting bracket capable oftightening its grip on a supporting post in response to weightapplied'by r on said bar; to provide a bracket which cooperates with thesupporting post to form a seat for the bar; to provide spaced postengaging i embers on the bracket; to provide for supporting the load onthe bracket in offset relation to the post to apply a leverage to thepost engaging members for locking the bracket in'place; and to provideimproved elements and arrangements thereof in a wall structure of thecharacter and for the pur poses noted.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, Ihave provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of whichis illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a slab structure under construction inwhich form bars and supports embodying the present invention are used.

Fig. 2' is an elevational view oi the form bar and" support. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view through the form bar and support in position ina concrete slab structure.

. i Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bar supporting bracket. 1

Referring more in detail to the drawing: 1 designates a base for aconcrete floor or other structure on which the concrete is to be placedand into which a plurality of posts 2- may be driven. The posts 2 arepreferably made of iron or steel bar stock and are of sufficientstrength to withstand considerable strain from the form structure aswill presently be described. 3, Fig. 4, represents a bracket preferablymade of metal, having a U-shaped portion 4, preferably consisting ofhorizontally disposed legs 5 and 6 connected by a vertical web I, thelegs 5 and B being provided with holes 8 and 9 adapted to receive thepost 2. The vertical web of the bracket 3 is also provided with a holel8, threaded as indicated atll and adapted to receive a set screw I2which may be threaded into engagement with a post extending through theholes 8 and 9 for locking the bracket 3 at any desired position on thepost 2.

The upper leg 5 of the U-shaped portion of the bracket extends outwardlyand upwardly forming a flange l3 for cooperating with the post to form aseat M for supporting pipes or bars and it which form guides which maybe positioned at the desired elevation above the base I for determiningthe grade and thickness of the concrete to be laid; and also forsupporting screeding equipment of conventional form.

In'assembling a structure according to my invention, two rows of posts 2are driven in the base 1, preferably until the upper end of the post isslightly below the approximate level of the concrete, the bars beingarranged a predetermined distance apart in longitudinal and transversealignment, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The brackets 3 are then applied tothe respective posts 2 with the post extending through theholes 8 and 9whereby the upper portion of the post cooperates with the leg 5, andflange l3 to form the'upwardly opening seats M adapted to receive thepipe or bars l5 and iii. A cross-bar or pipe !8 is then arranged withits ends on the respective pipes or bars l5 and It. By adjustment of thebracket 3 on the post 2 the height of the pipes or bars|5 and it carriedthereon may be changed until the upper edge of the pipes or bars are atthe desired grade or incline relative to the floor as determined by alevel in the conventional manner. The set screw I2 is then moved intoengagement with the respective post 2 to hold the pipes or bars in thatposition.

After the brackets are set on posts in the desired position and the setscrews tightened so that the brackets do not slip, the pipes or bars I5,l6 and 18 are removed. Reinforcing material l9, preferably of wire mesh,having openings 20 of sufficient size to pass over thebrackets 3 on theposts 2, is then placed on the base upon which the concrete structure isto be laid. The reinforcing material may be placed on the base beforethe posts are driven in place if desired, but I have found that in mostinstances additional hand grading must be done on the base I to obtainthe proper thickness and grade for the concrete.

The pipes l5 and I6 may then bereplaced in the seats M of the brackets3. The pipes or bars are held in the seat M by the flange I3 and post 2in such a manner that the weight of the pipes is applied to the bracketat a point spaced from the post causing the bracket to tilt andtheopposite edges of the holes 8 and 9 to engage and bite into'the post.This leverage action tightens the bracket on the post in response toadditional weight on the pipes so there is no danger of slippage whenheavy rodding machines or like equipment are used for screeding theconcrete. Concrete, as indicated at 2|, may be poured between the pipesi5 and I6 and the upper surface of said pipes used as a guide for astrike-off to level the concrete slab with a rodding machine or otherscreeding equipment 22 having-leveling rods 23 and 24 in theconventional manner, as shown in Fig. 1.

After the concrete slab has been leveled oil? flush with the pipes l5and i6, as illustrated at 25, the pipes may be removed, and the brackets3 and posts 2 removed. The holes and indentations left in the concreteby the pipes, brackets and posts may then be filled with concrete, as iscommon practice with wooden forms heretofore in use. The posts, bracketsand pipes are then available for use and may be assembled on a secondsite for laying a second slab. This may be repeated as many times asdesired on one or more constructions.

It will be observed that when starting the construction of a concreteslab according to my in- 'vention,1a side form 26, preferably of wood orthe like and of slightly less height than said bar, may be placedalongside the bar l6, Fig. 1, to prevent the concrete from running awayon that side and to provide a substantially plane surface for the sideof the concrete construction.

While I preferably use iron pipe or tubing for the pipes l5, l6 and I8,wood or other suitable material may be used.

It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided a form and supporttherefor which is strong and adapted to carry the weight of anyequipment ordinarily applied to such structures, which is adaptable toall types of slab work, and which is quickly and easily set up anddisassembled.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a form of the character described, a post,

a bracket adjustable vertically on the post having spaced membersengaging said post, a set screw in the bracket engageable with the postfor holding the bracket in adjusted position, and means on one of thepost engaging members extending laterally and upwardly from the post andcooperating therewith to provide an upwardly diverging form seattherebetween.

2. In a form of the character described for use inconcrete structures, apost adapted to be inserted into a base of the structure for support inan upright position, a Ushaped bracket having a web and laterallyextending legs, said legs having aligning holes therein for insertion ofthe post, means attached to and extending through the portion engageablewith the post for holding the bracket in an adjusted position, anupwardly turned flange on the end of the upper leg and on the oppositeside of the post to the web of the bracket for cooperating with the postto form an upwardly diverging seat therebetween.

3. In a form of the character described for use in concrete structures,a post adapted to be driven into a base of the structure for support inan upright position, a U-shaped bracket having a web and laterallyextending legs, said legs having aligning holes therein for insertion ofthe post and adapting the bracket for vertical movement on said post, aset screw extending through the web portion engageable with the post forholding the bracket in an adjusted position, an upwardly and outwardlyturned flange on the end of the upper leg on the opposite side of thepost to the Web of the bracket for cooperating with the post to form asubstantially V-shaped seat adapted to receive a screed support wherebyweight of the screed support acts against said post and flange to applyan outwardly directed force to the bracket to tilt the bracket on thepost to form a bight thereon for anchoring the bracket in position.

' 4. In a form of the character described, a post, a bracket slidablevertically on the post and having vertically spaced members engagingsaid post,

and a laterally and upwardly extending portion on the upper member forco-operation with the post to provide an upwardly diverging seat wherebya guide member applied thereto engages said post and upwardly extendingportion and applies an outwardly directed force on said portion exertinga leverage on the space members of the bracket to hold said bracket inposition on said post.

5. In a form of the character described, a post, a bracket slidablevertically on the post and having vertically spaced membersengaging saidpost, a laterally and upwardly extending portion on the upper member for(go-operation with the post to provide an upwardly diverging seatwhereby a guide member applied thereto engages said post and upwardlyextending portion and applies an outwardly directed force on saidportion exerting a leverage on the space members of the bracket to holdsaid bracket in position on said post, and means for holding the bracketin place on the post before application of the guide member.

EMIL J. ROHRER.

